Characteristics of Civilization Stable Food Supply System of Writing Religion Characteristics of Civilization Social Structure The Arts Government

The plow helped farmers prepare (till) the soil for planting, making farming faster to produce more food. Irrigations systems – a way to supply water to the land and crops Canals Dams Reservoirs Levees The cuneiform tablet relates to this characteristic because it tells that the Sumerians raised surplus barley.

Slaves had no property and lived with their owners. Priests, landowners and government officials had the nicest homes and lived in the center of the city. Merchants and artisans made and sold tools and luxury items. Farmers and fishers lived in small houses at the edge of the city and farmers served in the army. Slaves had no property and lived with their owners. The seal of the king appointing a governor relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows a government class The statue of the chariot relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows a military class The gold cup relates to this characteristic of civilization because it indicates a craftsman and upper class The lyre relates to this characteristic of civilization because it indicates a class of musicians esteem

A religious system includes worship, practices, and a set of beliefs. Religious beliefs made the government more powerful because the Sumerian people obeyed the will of gods, and the gods chose the kings. Government duties include recording and enforcing laws, collecting taxes, building temples, maintaining and patrolling irrigation canals and leading the army. The clay tablet relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows government officials distributing grain. The stone seal relates to relates to this characteristic of civilization because it indicates there were govt. artisans, governors and a king The chariot statue relates to this characteristic relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows there was an army. A religious system includes worship, practices, and a set of beliefs. Religion was important in Sumer because it influenced parts of daily life. temples and ziggurats creating statuses participating in religious ceremonies. The statue of the married couple relates to this characteristic of civilization because it was found in a shrine and might have been a gift to the gods. The statue of the king relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows that the kingly duties was to build temples to the Sumerian gods. The stone seal relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows two gods.

Arts/Culture Metal workers created practical objects and decorative items. Architects designed temples and ziggurats and Musicians played instruments and sang during ceremonies. Music was important art in Sumer because Sumerians believed that it brought joy to the people and to the gods The statue of the married couple relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows there were skilled sculptors Gold Cup couple relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows there were skilled metal workers. The statue of the king carrying a basket couple relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows they had architects for the temples. The lyre couple relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows Sumerians had music. Technology After the wheel, people pulled goods on wheeled carts. Before the wheel, people pulled goods on sleds. Arches served as doorways to rooms or buildings. They added strength and beauty to a building. The copper statue of a chariot relates to this characteristic of civilization because it shows the Sumerians developed the wheel.

Later, Sumerians developed cuneiform which used wedged shaped characters that represented words or ideas. Early Sumerians used pictographs which are symbols that stand for real objects such as a snake or water. Cuneiform was a better method of communication because Sumerians could exchanged more detailed information or ideas with each other using cuneiform than pictographs. The clay tablet relates to this characteristic of civilization because it has writing on it. The stone seal relates to this characteristic of civilization because it has writing on it. The statue of the king carrying the basket relates to this characteristic of civilization because it has writing on it.